mo, may safly come and resorte: and there also to make search and enquirie, in whose hands after the beginning of your warres, the money and what thyng els so euer, whiche was graūted vnto you in ayde of the same your warres, vntill this present day, doth remaine and is not layd out agayn, as also by whose default you wer so enforced to leaue the sayd siege of Tourney: & those which shalbe found in any point faulty & gilty therein against you as a good Iusticer, your grace wyl cause to be punished accordyng to the law: and in so much as appertayneth vnto vs therin, we aske iudgemēt of our peeres (the state alwayes of holy church, of vs, and of our order reserued inuiolate) according as we haue writtē vnto you herein. And for gods sake Syr, beleue not either of vs or any other your true subiects els, more thē that you shal vnderstande the veritie of: for if men should be punished without makyng aunswere to that, whiche is obiected agaynst them, ther should be then no difference in iudgement betwixte the good dooer and the badde. And Syr, may it please you wel to consider, of the great enterprise you haue in hand, the great good will whiche you haue nede of for thys cause, and of your great enemyes the Scottes, and the great ieoperdie of your realme besides. For, if your prelates, your nobles, & al þe wisemē of your realme, were of one minde and wil (without any discord or diuision amongest them) to dispose & set in order those thinges, whiche are nedefull in so great affaires and busines: they should haue all inough to beat their heades about, for the maintenance of your great enterprise begonne, the honour of you, & sauegarde of your realme. And Syr, may it please your grace, not to be displeased that so rudly and grosly we declare vnto you the veritie: for why, the great loue and affection whiche we beare vnto you and alwayes haue done the same: the preseruation of your honour and sauegarde of your realme, as also for that we are (although vnworthy) the primate of the whole realme of England: which thyng apertaining vnto vs by our office, and beyng your spirituall father, doth incite vs the rather both to say and cōmaunde that, whiche may turne to the benefite of your soule, and profite of your realme and kyngly estate. Thus the holy spirite saue you both body and soule, and giue you victory ouer all your enemies. Written at Caunterbury, þe first day of Ianuary, By your graces chapelein the archbishop of the same.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaThe returne of the kings army from Tourney.And thus stoode the case betwe the king and the archbishop of Canterbury, who comming thus (as is sayde) in secrete wise into Englande, from the siege of Tourney, his army in the meane while, by ships was conueied to litle Britain. Of whom a great number, through vnseasonable & inconuenient meates and drinkes, was there consumed. To whom also no lesse daunger happened by the seas comming out of Britaine into Englād, by tempest, thunder, and lyghtenyng styrred vp, as is thought, by the Necromansers of the French king. Marginalia1341.
Truce takē for 3. yeares, betwene king Edward and the French kyng.About which season, approaching to the yeare of our Lord 1341,
The Foxe Project was not able to complete the commentary on this section of text by the date by which this online edition was compiled (23 September 2008). This commentary will become available in due course from the 'Late Additions and Corrections' page of the edition.
In the sayd histories where these thinges be mencioned, it is also noted, that the same yeare suche plentye there was here in the realme of vitails, that a quarterof wheate was sold for. vij. s. a fat oxe for a noble, and as some say a sheepe for. iiij.d. And thus far endureth the history of Ranulphus Cestrensis called Polychronicon.
[Back to Top]Marginalia1342The next yeare folowing, which was. 1342. Ludovicus Bauarus the Emperour, who before had shewed great curtesy to king Edwarde as in his firste viage ouer, in somuch that he made him his Vicar or Vicegerent generall, and offered hym also ayde agaynst the the French king: nowe (eyther turned by inconstancye, or seduced by the Pope) writeth to hym contrarye letters, wherein he reuoketh agayne the Vicegerentshyp graunted to him, and seeketh all meanes in the fauour of the French king, against king Edwarde: as by hys letters here vnder written, may better appeare.
[Back to Top]LUdouicus, by the grace of God Emperour of the Romaines all wayes Augustus, &c. To Edward kyng of England his beloued brother, greeting and vnfayned loue. Although great and vrgent busines of our own do oppresse vs, and aboute the same our waightie affayres are daylye incombred: yet with the discorde & variance betwene your kingly dignitie and the renowmed Philip þe king of France our cosen, for your sake we are not a litle troubled. And the rather the great charges which may hereafter grow both to you & to your kingdō, therby considered both of men & mony vnles the same be taken vp: doth more earnestly prouoke vs to geue our self, to the carefull studie of your affayres. Wherefore, we geue you to vnderstand, that the foresayd Philip (at our request) hath geuē vnto vs by his letters, authoritie and power to entreate & conclude a peace betwene you, touching the variance begon: which peace (all the state diligently considered both of your self, your kingdome and subiects) we take & beleue to be right expedient for your mouyng therewithall youre charitye and earnestlye exhorting you, that to this also you will geue your consent: wherby we may bring you both to concorde & vnitie, and establishe betwene you a firme peace to endure, wherunto with willing minde we would applie ourself and bestow our painfull labour in prosecuting of þe same. And herin if you wil condescend & agree vnto our counsell, as we trust you will, It may please you by your letters to geue vnto vs the like authoritie as is abouesaid, to entreate a peace or ordering of a truce for one yeare or two at least to continew. Neither let it moue you, that betwene vs and the said Phillip of Fraūce a truce is taken. For seing that you without our consent tooke truce with him: we by the aduise of our princes which know þe bonds, dedes, & couenātes betwixt vs, who also thought no les but that sauing our honor we might do the same, haue also made a leage with þe said Philip K, of Fraūce, & for certaine causes doe reuoke and call backe the Lieftenātship which we assigned vnto you by our leters: Neuertheles geuing you for a certayn to vnderstād, þt in our sayde treaties and peace concluded we haue so brotherly considered you, that if you will agree and condescend vnto our counsell: your cause (by our meane & helpe) shalbe brought to good passe and effecte. About which thinges farther to confer with your brotherhood herein, we haue sent a deuoute and religious man Eliarhardus reader and brother of the order of þe Heremits of S. Augustine and Chapline of our courte: whom aboute the premisses we desire with spedie expedition to be sent to vs agayne. Dated at Franckford the. xiiij. day of Iune in the xxiiij. yeare of our reigne and xiiij. of our Empyre.
[Back to Top]TO the high and mighty prince lord Ludouike, by the grace of God Emperour of the Romanes, alwayes Augustus, Edward by the same grace kyng of Fraunce, and England, and Lord of Irelande: salutacion & prosperous successe. We haue reuerētly receaued your highnes letters, amongest other thynges contayning, that the noble Philip de Valois (to thintent a peace and concord betwene vs and him might be concluded) hath geuen vnto you by hys letters full power and authoritye thereunto at your highnes request: And that if the same might content vs to do in lyke sorte, your highnes wold trauaile to bryng the concord to passe: And that it would
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